Over the years I have encountered a number of bad practices with website design and content,  usually these are requests by clients who are trying to squeeze every last penny out of their website, but sometimes it is web designers who are creating a project for themselves rather than the end user.  I understand that sometimes it is impossible to always keep to your standards while keeping your client happy, so here are a few dos and don’ts to aid you in the design and build process.

Do keep your website functional

Since the birth of the Internet web designers have always felt the need to over complicate the aesthetic of websites.  During the early years of the web designers seemed hell bent on overloading websites with gif and flash animations while not spending any time thinking about the structure of the pages and the framework of the site.

When creating any site think firstly about what you want to achieve with the design and the content.  A site should be intuitive by nature, adding animation may just distract and confuse; think about the content and structure, it isn’t the trendy parts of the site that will make it a success but the quality of what the user finds that will make any website work.

Don’t assume you know everything

As a designer it pays to be open to new ideas and opinions, be careful not to run with an idea just because you think it will work brilliantly or look great.  Spending a large amount of time on a job can mean that you become too close to the project.  I’m not saying don’t trust yourself, or to take everything that is said literally just use what is around to your advantage.

Do think about the user

After building your pages spend some time testing the site, look at it from a neutral perspective.  Things like links opening in new windows or pages with limited or useless content can be very frustrating for an end user, keep any site as self contained and as complete as possible that way the user will trust you and your content.

Testing a site yourself should be a standard part of any project, however, getting others to test can be equally helpful and informative, alternate opinion can help you realise issues you didn’t see during the early stages of design and build, which in turn will help give a more complete end user experience.

Don’t compromise on design

Remember you are the designer and with knowledge and experience you should be able to confidently advise.  Content should be clean and clear online, allow content to frame itself and avoid unsightly borders, also try and spread content evenly over more than one page rather than cramming it all into an unrealistic area.

Always make a design whether personal or commercial unique, avoid passing trends as this can make the site date too quickly and will only bring the need for a re-design forward.  If you create the site for the client in a fresh style that suits their brand you will be more likely to please from the outset.

Summary

You are a designer, so explore all possibilities, listen to those around you, keep things unique but most of all don’t assume you know everything.